Crack cocaine and methamphetamine pose the greatest drug abuse threat to the
Atlanta HIDTA region because of the highly addictive nature of the drugs.
According to data from the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and
Developmental Disabilities, cocaine is the illicit drug most often mentioned as
the primary, secondary, or tertiary substance problem in treatment admissions to
publicly funded facilities in Atlanta HIDTA counties in Georgia.
(See Table 3.) Law enforcement officials report
that methamphetamine abuse is rising, particularly in southeast sections of
Atlanta and within the homosexual community. Heroin abuse is generally low but
growing throughout the region. Law enforcement officers characterize the abuse
of marijuana as high to moderate.

Source: Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and
Developmental Disabilities, Division of Addictive Diseases.*This table includes only those admissions to services funded or
operated by the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and
Developmental Disabilities (and its predecessor organization) and
does not include admissions to services of any other providers,
public or private. This is a duplicated count of admissions during
the SFY, where the primary, secondary, or tertiary "substance
problem at admission" was the substance shown. A single admission
may be counted in as many as three categories per admission.

CPD abuse is widespread and is associated with a significant number of
overdose deaths in Georgia. The GBI Medical Examiner's Office reported that
prescription drugs accounted for more drug overdose deaths than any other
substance in Georgia in 2008. Of the 638 drug overdose deaths reported in
Georgia in 2008, 543 involved prescription drugs or combinations of illicit and
prescription drugs and alcohol.j
The most commonly abused CPDs are alprazolam (Xanax), carisoprodol
(Soma),k
hydrocodone (Vicodin), methadone, and oxycodone (OxyContin).

Bulk cash transportation represents the principal illicit financial threat in
the Atlanta HIDTA region. Millions of dollars in bulk cash are transported each
week from U.S. drug markets to relatively few consolidation areas such as
Atlanta, where Mexican DTO bulk cash cell leaders take direct control of the
money. In fact, the Atlanta area is the principal bulk cash consolidation center
for Mexican DTOs operating in the eastern United States. Because Atlanta is
between major eastern drug markets and the Southwest Border, bulk cash is
transported to stash houses in Atlanta, as well as a number of counties in
northern Georgia, from across the southeastern United States and from as far
away as New York City. For example, in March 2010, West Memphis, Arkansas,
police officers stopped a tractor-trailer westbound on I-40 and discovered more
than $1.8 million in bulk cash in the passenger cabin. The driver, a citizen of
Mexico, and the passenger, a Hispanic resident of California, claimed to be
traveling from New Jersey to Los Angeles via Atlanta. In 2009, Atlanta HIDTA
initiatives seized more than $29 million in bulk cash.

Traffickers use other methods to move and launder illicit drug proceeds in
the Atlanta HIDTA region. Money services businesses, such as money remitters and
check-cashing businesses, are used by traffickers to launder illicit drug
proceeds. These businesses allow customers to move proceeds outside the United
States with relative anonymity in amounts below the threshold set by the Bank
Secrecy Act. Traffickers also purchase small, cash-based businesses such as car
washes, clothing stores, and hair and nail salons that they use to commingle
illicit proceeds with legitimate funds. In addition, many traffickers launder
drug proceeds through the purchase of luxury items such as jewelry, expensive
vehicles, real estate, and prepaid (stored value) cards.

Footnotes

k. Carisoprodol is not
controlled under the federal Controlled Substance Act of 1970; however,
it is scheduled under state law in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida,
Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota,
Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, and West Virginia.